Fountain cleaning device with detergent supply



Feb. 5, 1957 M. P. LAUGHLIN 2,779,961

FOUNTAIN CLEANiNG DEVICE WITH DETERGENT SUPPLY Filed Sept. 29, 1952 FIG.|

FOUNTAIN CLEANING DEVICE WITH v DETERGENT SUPPLY This invention relates to cleaning utensils and particularly to those used in dishwashing.

The use of brushes with and without water jets attached to the same handle has been well known, as has the use of soap containers wherein solid and powdered soaps were selectively mixed with the water fed to the brush. However, such former combinations have failed in the use of both liquid and solid soaps in that the combination of water and heat invariably has corroded and plugged such receptacles, conduits, brushes and jets employed, resulting in limited usefulness and quick discard. In similar fashion, the use of mops with water jets attached thereto for the puipose of the dishwashing has been known, but such earlier combinations have failed in usefulness in that the pressure applied to the water jets had to be limited to extremely low pressures to prevent spraying water over surrounding objects and thoroughly splashing the person operating the device.

The present invention provides a readily removable and replaceable soap or detergent container which may be purchased, used and discarded with-out inconvenience and at minimum cost, while at the same time providing economical, readily controlled distribution of the cleansing aid on the dish mop where it is to be used and where it may be applied to the surfaces :to be washed without a large part being swept down the drain with the excess water, as has heretofore been the case.

This invention also provides a water jet arrangement through which a substantial pressure jet of extremely hot water may be applied to the surface to be washed, to shear grease and the like from such surfaces, and yet provides that such jet will be automatically diverted and dispersed so that water falling from the mop when it is lifted from the surfaces will be at substantially zero pressure and will not splash or spray the surrounding objects.

It is a further purpose of this invention to provide means for all the above purposes in such form that the whole device may be manufactured cheaply and with a minimum of mechanism, particularly costly valves and the like which further add to the products cost and to difficulty of maintenance in use.

Fig. 1 is the side elevation of the complete dishwashing utensil.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the longitudinal center line of the utensil of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the utensil of Fig. 1 taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a casing C providing a hand grip at 10, a mop holder clamp 11 and a soap receptacle recess 12. It will be understood that the casing C is preferably of light metal pressed to form with sufiicient strength so that it will not be deformed in the hand, yet can be flexed at the mop clamping portion or head 11 to hold the mop material M over body 20. Body 20 is preferably serrated on its top and sides d States Patfiflt 'ice as at 22 so that the mop material is securely held thereon by portion 11 and the turned down end 14 of such handle portion so as to form a hood or arcuate form as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Portion 11 is compressed upon the mop material through such means as through bolt 30 having a wing nut 32 through which means the whole may be assembled and detached, and when the bolt 30 is withdrawn, it will be clear that the mop material M may be replaced as desired.

Head portion 20 is internally bored and threaded to receive the threaded neck 41 of collapsible tube 42 whose flattened end 44 preferably slips into slot 16 at thebut t end of easing C. It will be seen that collapsible tube 42 is thus readily removable and replaceable, but when in place is held by slot 16 and by its neck portion threads 41 so that its open top discharges through duct 50 in body 20 and two branches of duct 50 extending to soap discharge ports 51 and 52 at the edges of body 20 directly at the contact of said body with the mop portion M.

Also arranged within the casing C is water tube 60 whose rearward end provides for hose connection 62 attached to a water pressure supply and whose forward end 63 engages with body 20 to communicate with a water jet 64 opening also beneath mop portion M. It will be noted that jet 64 is shrouded by mop M when not in actual contact with articles to be washed. Mop M is preferably of sponge material of considerable strength and preferably of so-called cellulose sponge, able to resist a considerable pressure from jet 64 and to bafile, dispel and disperse water ejected from such jet under pressure.

In operation, it will be understood that portion 10 is grasped in the hand, water from a suitable pressure source is applied through hose 62 and when jet 64 is shrouded by the mop material M that water jetting from 64 merely strikes the soft sponge mop and cascades therebeneath without spatter and without force. However, when the mop material M is applied to a dish or the like, it is forced upwardly and outwardly and the water jet then strikes With full jet pressure directly on the greasy, dirty surface literally blasting dirt therefrom. Collapsible tube 42 is supplied filled with detergent and can be sold with the usual collapsible tube cap in place until ready to be inserted in the handle casing C. When detergent is needed, the fingers of the operator enter recess 12 to compress tube 42 ejecting soap as needed through the duct 50 and the openings 51 and 52 directly on to the mop material so that it is distributed by such material over the surface to be washed and not merely mixed with the Water from jot 64 and thus lost with Water flowing from 64 when actual dishwashing is not taking place.

It will be understood that certain modifications in the arrangement of the parts and of their relation to each other may be accomplished within the scope of my invention and that certain parts may be used without other parts for new and beneficial results.

What I claim is:

1. A fountain cleaning device comprising an elongated open sided casing having a generally U-shaped cross-section, a butt end extending across one end of said casing, a water tube in said casing having an inlet end thereof projecting through said butt end, said tube having its outlet end terminating adjacent to but short of the end of said casing opposite said butt end, a clamp member integrally formed on the end of said casing opposite said butt end, a body positioned within said casing in spaced clamping said mop between said clamp member and said body, a collapsible container, a discharge nozzle on said container, means on said body detachably securing said discharge nozzle thereto, said body having ports extending, therethrough in communication with said discharge nozzle, and means on said butt end for supporting the opposite end of said collapsible container so that said container is positioned substantially within said casing.

, 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mop normally extends in spaced apart overlying relation to said Water jet bore and to said ports whereby fluid flow ing from saidbore and ports will impinge on said mop.

3. A fountain cleaning device comprising an elongated handle fiorrning ca ing, a clamp portion formed at one end of said casing integrally therewith, a water tube in said casing,'.a collapsible reservoir in said casing, an outlet formed on said reservoir, a mop, and an integral means simultaneously supporting one end of said water tube and the outlet end of said reservoir in said casing and clamp- 4 ing said mop against said clamping member in hooded arrangement to intercept" fluid flow from said water tube and said collapsible reservoir outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 14,484 Elam June 11, 1918 393,522 Saunders Nov. 27, 1888 1,049,863 Happle et al. Jan. 7, 1913 1,430,988 Harris Oct. 3, 1922 1,677,645 Luthander July 17, 1928 2,069,833 Herner Feb. 9, 1937 2,241,443- Berry' May 13, 1941 2,303,667 Taborski Dec. 1, 1942 2,590,353 Sehaar et'al.- Mar. 25, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 259,625 Switzerland July 1, 1949 827,725 France Jan. 28, 1938 

